Fielder helps Tigers finish sweep of Royals

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Kansas City, MO (Sports Network) - Prince Fielder went 2-for-4 with two RBI
and drove in the eventual game-winning run in the seventh inning to help the
Tigers defeat the Royals, 4-3, to finish off a three-game sweep.

Kansas City has lost its first six home games of the season for the first time
in franchise history.

Max Scherzer (1-1) earned the win with a quality start, as he allowed three
runs on seven hits over six-plus frames for Detroit, which went 4-2 on its
six-game road trip.

"We go on the road and come home 4-2, that's pretty good. Two good clubs and
I'm glad we're getting out of here because that club's (Kansas City) is ready
to break lose." Detroit manager Jim Leyland said.

Alcides Escobar blasted a two-run homer for the Royals, but grounded into a
game-ending double play against Jose Valverade.

Jonathan Sanchez, starting on three days' rest, was effective through five
innings, but the Royals bullpen couldn't hold a 3-2 lead in the seventh.

"Still struggling to command his fastball, but his off-speed stuff he
commanded better and got him through the game," Kansas City manager Ned Yost
said.

Jose Mijares relieved Kelvin Herrera with one on and one out, and Miguel
Cabrera punched a single to center to put runners on the corners with two
away.

Gerald Laird, who started the inning with single, raced home on a wild pitch
with Fielder at the plate. With the shift now on, Fielder followed with a base
hit through the left side, knocking in Cabrera as the go-ahead run.

Phil Coke and Joaquin Benoit maintained the one-run lead with scoreless
innings of relief, and Valverade got out of a jam in the ninth to record his
third save of the young season.

With one out and runners on first and second, Escobar hit a ball down the
third base line directly to Cabrera, who stepped on third and threw over to
first to end the game and send the Royals to a seventh straight loss.

Jhonny Peralta drove in the game's first run, giving Detroit a 1-0 in the
second when he singled in Ryan Raburn, who walked with two away and stole
second to get in scoring position.

Scherzer set down the first seven hitters he faced before walking Mitch Maier
and serving up Escobar's first home run of the year, a no-doubter into the
bullpen beyond the left-field wall.

The Royals extended their lead to 3-1 on Humberto Quintero's RBI double in the
fourth, though Maier struck out to strand runners on second and third.

Fielder cut the deficit in half with a run-scoring double of his own in the
fifth.

Game Notes

Kansas City's Billy Butler and Cabrera each celebrated birthdays on Wednesday,
with the former turning 26 and the latter turning 29. Each had two
hits...Fielder stole second base in the third inning. He had just one steal in
each of his final two seasons in Milwaukee...Sanchez, who yielded two runs on
four hits, was moved up in the rotation as a result of Luke Hochevar getting
an extra day to rest his sore ankle...The Tigers open a seven-game homestand
on Thursday when they begin a four-game set against the Rangers, while the
Royals have a day off before starting a four-game series against Toronto.